Transcendence
by MzMilo
Summary: Ours was no ordinary connection. It was a soul-bond transcending beyond time, space and reality. For better and for worse. Always and forever...ON HIATUS
1. Bound Ever After

**Disclaimer:**

All plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

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**Author's Notes:**

A few portions in this chapter rightfully belonged to my friend Tori-A. Inspired by the movie: _The Scorpion King._

*sighs* Sometimes I worry about my muse's sense of priority and plotting. Yet here it is.

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**General Warnings:**

Alternate Universe set in Harry Potter's magical world, darkly twisted plot, angst, seer-Akihito, OCs, character death

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**Chapter 1****: Bound Ever After**

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_"She made broken look beautiful  
and strong look invincible.  
She walked with the Universe  
on her shoulders and made it  
look like a pair of wings."_

— _**Ariana Dancu**_ (via stetervault)

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**I.**

She ran with the wind like the hounds of hell theirselves were sniping on her heels. This could only be her chance. The last one. She would gamble it all to break free from the chains which bound her. The dreams of the outside world beyond the fortress she had been caged to before, was now a reality.

Smiling, she tasted the triumph of her freedom.

**II.**

A seed was growing inside her. A valid proof that the person responsible, had severed the Vow. And another. A valuable gift most considered as a boon, but to her, it was nothing more but a burden, a curse. This gift which clung from her blood within her soul bestowed by Mother Magic—the Sight was no more. For this very reason, she had to get rid of this growing seed inside her womb. It was the most decent thing to do. Sparing an innocent soul from the inherited curse and all the troubles the world itself had yet to offer. But she chose not to. She had grown weary from the soul-crushing loneliness she had been raised to. Besides, this seed was hers. Only hers. The one thing she could claim solely hers by blood and magic.

And so the seed grew and grew with her painstaking love and devotion.

**III.**

He sapphire eyes were glued at her baby's fluffy blond hair matted with unsavoury fluids. He was so adorable with pink chinks standing out from the luminescent, alabaster skin and puckered little rosebud lips. His eyes fluttered open to reveal warm hazel with golden amber flints into its intense depths before baby blues appeared. Her gut twisted in apprehension. Those eyes were a trait that could not be trace back from her roots. This colour came from the father. The downturn of her thoughts was broken by an explosion of a healthy wail coming from the newborn. It wired her full senses to its optimal condition. He was warm and full of life. It was then decided.

"You are perfect, my sweet Akihito."

Bright. How fitting. Her little bundle of light.

**IV.**

She never knew that she had made the best and worst mistake in her life. Peace was a hot commodity in her home. Who knew that raising a baby was a loud, torturous, pain into the ears? Akihito, her baby was a very beautiful and cute while sleeping. When awake, he was a full throttle hellion. Forcefully, getting herself up from the comfy bed and lamenting the lost of sleep once again, she made her way towards her baby's bassinet. She picked up Akihito, and something hit her. A notion she was very afraid of.

This could not be. Or was it?

The signs told her the otherwise. Akihito was now exhibiting the power of Sight into his dreams.

She felt her heart wither from this sad, hard truth.

**V.**

It had been a year since Akihito came into her life. She found out that Akihito was one happy baby. Yes, he would fuss occasionally when hungry, during nappy change, and when he was uncomfortable from his dreams. But most of the time, he was just contented to stare at her from his bassinet beside her working table. It was creepy at first, but she had gotten use to it. Not to mention Akihito loved it when she cuddled him while listening to her voice in bedtime stories. He was comforted by listening to her voice, and would immediately stop crying when he heard her voice near him. It was also her voice that lulled him back to sleep after awakening from a vision.

**VI.**

Little Akihito took her time. Most of it. However, she was able to divide her time between Akihito and her work as a healer. She had her hands full, but she didn't regret it. Akihito was becoming a gorgeous baby day by day, and she did not want to miss a single moment of his childhood. She looked down upon Akihito with a loving smile; she truly loved her mornings with him.

"Good morning, precious."

Gently smoothing Akihito's messy blond hair off his forehead, she tried to coax him awake as he had fallen asleep during her musings. Hazel eyes sleepily stared at her, she giggled at Akihito's cuteness and reached down to lift him up into her arms. Akihito proceeded to buried himself to her hair. How adorable.

**VII.**

Like any proud mother, she was very please. Her little Akihito was a young prodigy. Her child's progress was astoundingly phenomenal. Akihito was soaking all theoretical knowledge like the driest sponge out of all sponges and applying them effectively. It was a still little bit unsettling, his capability in higher forms of magic. But she stumped down the trace of worry from her heart as her Akihito beamed widely in joy at the elemental summons dancing around him with glee.

**VIII.**

"Mother?"

"Yes, Akihito?"

"A bad dream. Shadows are taking me away."

**IX.**

Bags after bags were loaded on the boat. Instinctively, Akihito knew only what the needed were inside. Others would be sold out. His mother always packed light. They were moving again to a new place, new neighbours if any, and new acquaintances. At the last note, Akihito frowned. Acquaintance. Not friend. He would be lucky if he had even one nearby. But connections like that lasted only if they stayed long enough. Which was always never. No matter, at the very least, there were new sights to see and explore. That he could hope.

**X.**

"Mother?"

"What is it, Akihito?"

"Can I go to school?"

"...Are you tired from travelling with me all the time?"

"No. It is just that I am old enough to be in school."

"All right. But you have to—"

"—Never talk to strangers unless it is necessary. Not to stand out. And be careful at all times. Doing magic is a secret."

"Well, it seems to be that you are all set."

"Thank you, mother."

**XI.**

Akihito returned from school that day turned between elated happiness and frustrated regret. He had lots of fun until a taller boy and his minions cornered him. Fed up with the other's inflated superiority, Akihito kicked the right between the boy's knees extra strong. The boy was down for the count. Next, came in the unfair melee. To them. Not him. His mother had already drilled him with defensive offence and knowledge about human anatomy since he could walk. Served them right. Minutes later, his ears suffered from their over dramatic wailing. That led to the headmastes, who after recognizing his face left him scott-free. Apparently, the man had a debt that could not be pay with money to her mother. Something about a favour, years past.

Akihito was still worried. This misconduct was no trouble to the principal, but his mother could pull him out. _Don't stand out. Never draw positive or negative attention. _It was one of the rules they abided dutifully.

Later at home, he was allowed to continue at school. But one toe out of line, he would have to leave.

**XIII.**

The Silencing Spells kept his room sound-proofed. Akihito prepared himself for another sleepless night. There were dreams that were better of never to encounter. Yet even with his eyes opened, he could see it. The future. Sometimes the past.

**XIV.**

Two months passed by, had made Akihito realized that the curriculum was downright boring compared to his mother's. He did not complain though. Interacting and observing people was fun and interesting. So was bringing the bullies down secretly from their self-made throne. His feet itched though. He could not wait for the school to end so he could go exploring with his mother. And to wave bye-bye to his mediocre education, were his mother's words not his.

**XV.**

"Mother?"

"Yes, Akihito?"

"Lady Earth can't hold it anymore; she wanted to stretch the land."

"Hmm...Then let us go visit Greece. Summer is beautiful there this time of year."

**XVI.**

"Akihito, what are you doing?"

"The ship is going down, mother. Poseidon is demanding for his tribute."

"Where can we go?"

"Anywhere without huge bodies of water."

**XVII.**

She began to worry for Akihito. Her boy now eleven years old, was exhibiting the Sight Ability far more wide range and detailed compared to her Sight before. Akihito's Sight was different from the usual trance-like state and voice changing she did whenever she had a glimpse of Fate's decree. It seemed Akihito had struck the goldmine neither she nor her ancestors from the Cassandra of Troy lineage had ever had. Akihito was a Seer. And not just any seer—the Seer. He was chosen by Mother Magic herself. A power highly admired and enviously coveted by many. She knew then that she could not outran them. There was one thing to do in order to protect the most precious thing she had.

A choice, she had to do.

**XVIII.**

"Akihito."

"Mother, you don't have to do this."

"I can and I will. Besides, it is no secret between the two of us that you wanted to see my homeland."

"It is not a home, mother. For you." _And I._

"Yet it is only the known safest haven for us."

"But you are not happy in that place!"

"I will be because you are with me."

"If that is what you decided, mother."

"Pack your bags, Akihito."

**XIX.**

The giant, shadowed walls through the Asami ancestral palace loomed ominously at them. A decade and a couple of years in her illusion of freedom had force her to discern the knowledge that nowhere was safe enough as long as selfish ambitions of greed existed in the world. She had understood the experience.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She let it out, and took another. In the third time, she took one last fortifying breath. Sparing one last glance at the sight from what she was abandoning, she gripped Akihito's hand to tighten her resolve.

For Akihito, she would willingly surrender her freedom.

With a heavy heart, she took a step forward to the place that imprisoned her since she was born.

**XXX.**

"So the ingrate runaway returns with her tail between her legs." The master voiced, tone amused and sadistically satisfied.

She lowered her eyes. "I am humbly asking for sanctuary, Asami-dono."

Her words made something to be strangling the air around her dogeza position on the wooden floor.

"What makes you think that you are that special to be accepted back?"

The master was clearly playing with her. Akihito's silent presence by her side was the evidence the power of Sight she had was no more. The man would have no monetary gain and any other benefits from her.

And there was the question of the delay of her punishment.

"I will swear an Unbreakable Vow to your bloodline and you, Asami-dono."

There was a flicker of interest.

Unbreakable Vow was an oath that if unfulfilled would allow Mother Magic to take a payment. And the payment, the oath bearer should pay dearly with her life or anything Mother Magic deemed acceptable.

"Unless Mother Magic's law could be broken for you to transfer all of your blood's magic, I see no fair trade to your betrayal, witch."

It was up to her trump card to do the deal.

She raised her chin. "My son and _your _nephew, Akihito is a Seer."

Golden eyes pierced right through her very soul, weighing the truth from her words. She barely resisted the urge to glance away. The master always had this devastating effect in her equilibrium.

"You made an offer that I could not possibly resist."

These words set her son's future to the proverbial stone.

"Now, swear it."

"For in exchange of safest sanctuary of my son and I, I, Shizuka, descendant from the Cassandra of Troy, do hereby pledge upon my body and magic to abide the will of my chosen Master, Asami Madara, current master of all nobles in the land of the rising sun and his bloodline. May everything within my power and abilities be the Master's shield and weapon. May Mother Magic take the acceptable price if I will ever break this oath in any way She perceives unjustifiable. This I swear. So mote it be," She uttered the rite of words, feeling the vow's magical bindings to her.

"I, Asami Madara, your chosen Master, do accept your condition and oath. There will be no harm or any attempt physically upon you, Shizuka and your son, Akihito descendants from Cassandra of Troy's bloodline. If I and my bloodline failed to do so, may Magic take the fair price if there will ever be breaking of this oath in any way She perceives unacceptable. This I swear. So mote it be," The master spoke as the magical vow bound between them.

The Master's vow was seemingly generous but it was not over yet.

"The boy is next," The master prompted.

"Akihito," Her son said tersely, making her to stiffen in fear.

"What, boy?"

Akihito fixed the master an unperturbed stare. "I would be please if my mother's master will kindly refer me with my proper name. As he is not my master." _Yet._

She did not dare to see the Master's reaction as her heart was stuck at her throat from her son's insolence. Akihito was practically asking for ill attention from the master.

There was a long moment of silence until the master broke it by chuckling lowly.

"You have a heart of a lion, young Akihito."

That did not relieve her at all. If anything, the master was patronizingly condescending towards her son.

"Akihito, your oath," The master ordered.

Standing from his sitting position before, Akihito extended out his right arm as if what he was offering was a far priceless offer.

A look of instant comprehension crossed over the Master's golden eyes. "Interesting choice."

"I refuse to be use by every Asami blood that comes in my way. This is to ensure that my gifts are in disposal by the person I am bond to. Or chosen by the predecessor to bond with me," Akihito explained in a matter of fact tone.

"A wise condition, child."

She could tell that the master was grudgingly impressed by her son's foresight.

"But what makes you think that I will willingly agree to your condition?" The master enquires in a silky, dangerous voice.

Akihito smiled knowingly. "Go ahead. You are much welcome to look for another Seer." _The possibility of finding one was next to nothing_, was left unspoken.

Honestly, she did not know how much steel she had reinforced into her son to have the smooth bravado to mouth off the master.

...A higher quality and quantity, maybe.

Tension filled the lull of silence echoing around room as two willful pair of golden eyes forced each other out to submission.

Without any warning, the master's face shadowed as he raised his right arm.

It was the cue Akihito was waiting for. He walked forward.

Both outstretched arms clasped into one firm grip as magic saturated the air between the two.

Akihito's eyes glazed in unnatural light. "I choose thee Madara, current head of the Asami clan, as my Sight's prime benefactor. I therefore pledge my Sight upon your disposal and will. May my Sight guide you well in any ways. This is my oath to you, alone. So mote it be."

"I, Asami Madara, do accept your oath as my Seer. May Magic bless this partnership between the two of us. So I say it, so mote it be."

And that was it.

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**Before leaving**_**, **_**please leave a review **^-^


	2. Star-Crossed

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series, belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

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**Author's Notes:**

I've always been fascinated with alternate universe theme. It was why the storyline sail this way.

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**General Warnings:**

Alternate Universe, major cannon divergence, Seer Akihito, angst, fantasy, soul bond, Japanese timeline: Nara Period, time-skip, fragment-style writing,

Please heed all warnings accordingly and read as you see fit.

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**Star Crossed**

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_In one timeline we kiss but the stars don't come down. In another you set a world on fire for me but I perish in the flames. Another and we're strangers on a busy street, brushing by close enough to send each other reeling off balance but not stopping. Somewhere there's a final space where your hand on my face is the punchy climax to an epic saga, where the way our mouths meet takes the breath right out of people's throats. One universe has us right, of all the millions stacked on millions. So it's not this one. I can live with that. The world is full of wonders and a hundred years ago the moon was too much to dream of touching. Look how far we've come. Turn over your shoulder and just look. Maybe we'll come across each other at the turning of the century, racing across the breaches between worlds. I'll build my life on that maybe."_ — elisabeth hewer

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**XXXI**.

Inside his sleeping quarters, Akihito lies between the edge of dozing and semi-awareness. He has not slept this peacefully since his Seer powers had been completely awaken.

Since he was a child, visions of death and violence in frightening frequency plagued him as current events were often manipulated by man-made incidents through war and bounding natural incidents such as famine and flood happened.

Only the oath between him and Asami Madara, grounds his vision at present to near stability. Or as stable as it can be under the disposal of an Asami.

Sensing that a change of his sight is coming, Akihito sighs before the scenery transforms...

He appears inside the trance-like scene like a disembodied ghost that quietly witnesses his mother's behavior from a summon at the main house.

She looks visibly edgy, trickling an alarm in him. Her apprehensive anxiety further reveals through a sharp commanding tone at the guard lurking around the one person had that effect on her, notwithstanding Asami Madara.

The summon must have come from that man. His father, Asami Hideyoshi.

Akihito had only seen blurry images of the man from his previous visions. It had left him two impressions. One, was of a tired war veteran air and two, nostalgic melancholy.

None of those two impressions are present now. Asami Hideyoshi is fiercely, formidable-looking as those eerie, ancient golden eyes pierce into his mother's.

"You should not have come back."

Akihito has the strangest urge to cower back from the nuance of cold displeasure curling in every syllables from those words. There is something other-worldly layering the man's outer shell. Something that feels ancient and all-encompassing.

"I did ask sanctuary for myself, alone. I'm doing this for Akihito."

That is true. In half.

Akihito realized the otherwise. Some huge portion of his mother is resigning. The desperate hunger bidding for freedom has become a losing game.

A thin smile curls mockingly from her words. "If you really care for his well-being, you should have spared him from further torment of your heritage. You certainly have a way of giving affection."

Akihito's breath is caught between his throat. It is almost like the man is pitying him. That death is more preferable than being alive.

"No matter, everything has already changed." The tone is of acceptance of the inevitable.

"Hate me all you want for the choices I made. Only remember this: Akihito is far stronger than I will ever be."

The expression from the man is surprisingly of tolerant amusement. "You do not have to remind me. Akihito had made it very clear when he stood up for himself. Which brings to why I summon you inside my quarters."

His mother studies the other suspiciously.

What Hideyoshi says next froze her and Akihito.

"It is of immense importance for me to oversee Akihito's studies."

"You will teach Akihito out from the goodness of your heart?"

Akihito is suddenly afraid for his mother. Hideyoshi's face is tight and frosty. "I am a lot of things but not taking responsibility of my son is not one of it." He pauses, as if to consider how much he can say. "It is his inheritance."

It is clear that no love is lost between them as father to son.

If Akihito lets his stubborn pride talks him out of this, he will not get things done in a faster and safer pace. Mental and emotional setbacks of being a Seer alone, is a heavy burden.

Grudgingly, it is practical side that wins over from him.

"Aside from being generously noble? Why are you doing this?" His mother perseveres in her interrogation. Akihito stares with fascination. This fiery bravado of his mother is admirably impressive.

The response comes with a dry smile. "Madara's self-preservation instincts far outweighs his ambitious tendencies. Covetous as he is with the advantage of the Seer's power, he does not want a fool inside his inner court. And he considers Akihito as one of his priceless possession, one which he wants to look after zealously."

Akihito slightly bristles from the outright possessiveness. It seems he will have to get used to being labelled as a prize jewel.

That is the end of the conversation as the vision fades and dims, taking him back to the present time.

Akihito opens his eyes slowly. Stiffly, he removes himself from his bedroom and rings a bell for his servants. He orders them to prepare a warm bubble bath and breakfast for him. While waiting for the preparation to finish, he studies their quick but precise movements. His presence seems to disturb them in uneasily like he is a predator lurking behind the shadows. Treating him with feared deference he has grown accustom to the past twenty-five days.

It mostly did not help that his overall unnatural physical features is in contrast to the pure Asian blood has set him far apart among the dark-haired far eastern kind.

Well, his servants' deference is comparably better than Asami's court of noble blood's sickening schmoozing as they desperately tried to get under his good graces. Grimacing at the thought, he dismisses the servants once they are done and his breakfast in bath is all set, they leave him alone with subtle haste.

Akihito reviews his current vision as he relaxes.

Seer or no, he has always endeavour to observe people with clinical, incisive eyes. He did not want to rely solely to his visionary power. At times, visions might cloud his better judgement, skewing his perception. What he sees are things in a bystander's viewpoint. He certainly have the knowledge but not the comprehension of how and why things happened.

And there are dreams, nightmares that seemingly feels like memories.

The dreams, visions of past, present and future are matters that intermingle into one unfathomable mixture, leaving nothing but remnants of foreboding impressions which seeps to his consciousness gradually changing his outlooks and even his personality. Accelerating into paces where it left him scrambling harder to catch up.

There was a reason why Seers were often recluse, strangely unhinged, out of their mind individuals. A Seer's ability is similar to a dry sponge which absorbs magnitude details of people's lives. Seers are without a choice, do feel, hear, and see intimately in close contact of people's hopes, fears, motivations, secrets, and potential of what few persons might achieve.

And what made the those visions to stop was his oath with Asami Madara that serve as a chaining anchor, filtering the other bewildering sights that always welled out nostalgic sensations into him like flooding out-pour. It's been two month since their oath-taking, and his health had improved in startling bounds.

What he really desired though in the deepest part of his heart, is to take a chance as a runaway but he realizes how his end would be after several visions of those who had similar abilities like him were headed after envy turned to hate transforming into fear resulting condemnation and at last the death of his kind. There is no luck to live a normal life for someone like him.

Yet he figures out that his life is still his choice of way to live, and he did not intend to waste himself going maudlin in his misfortune. He only have two choices after being caught in the middle of a raging mob and the deep blue sea. Either he give up letting the mob decide his fate or to jump headlong over the unknown.

So Akihito took a leap of fate. Only under his own terms.

It is the potential Akihito had seen to the Asami lineage and the intuitive sense of rightness that lead him to offer the oath of Seer's Service. A gamble, Akihito terribly dreads and resignedly welcome at the same time. Dreading the gamble knowing that the Asami's power will be obtain through violent spilling of blood and fallen bodies belonging to both innocents and guilty. Welcoming the gamble as it is will provide him and his mother a safe haven.

Even if it means, living in a gilded cage.

Akihito's heart is torn between guilt and of hope for the choice he did.

**XXXII.**

For the next decade, Akihito is kept busy in his studies in every aspects of education his father, Hideyoshi has deemed necessary. From botany, mind arts, magic, chemistry, medicine, history combat and warfare, politics has made Akihito's repertoire of knowledge, abilities and skills to expand in a frightening rate of a prodigy.

Asami Madara only watches his development with gleaming eyes.

Until the right time is set for Akihito to take the Seer's post.

**XXXIII.**

Twenty-three winters has passed by in Akihito's life.

It is at that moment, he has experience a change in his visions. A more bewildering, scattered surreal wisps of images that threatens to overwhelm him as they rage into a vortex of fragments, transporting him back into the past. A past that were not of his life, this present life.

Past memories that belonged to another version of him, another him from another worlds...

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"Please..."

He stirred from his stillness, thinking if it was only his imagination that produced that young voice.

"Please..."

He listened. It could be a mistake.

"Please...avenge them... for me..."

The request made him curious. No one had ever wished to him with such avenging fury. Most humans would rather dish out their vengeance or hand it over to karma or surrender justice over to the Creator's will.

And his kind did not grant those kind of negative wish anyway.

"I want them dead without any kind of redemption."

That was new, again. Others don't usually specify the last one as long as the enemies were dead.

"If you will accept my plea, you will have me."

There was no dithering hesitation. No defined limit.

It was more than enough in the deal.

He fell down to Earth.

And "Peony nebula star" was no more.

* * *

He was the addition, the extra, the spare. Not overly protected, spared just a bit chunk of affection at times, petted when the occasion called for it. Sometimes bullied for boredom's fun and frequently ignored. With that short of back-story, he did not rate high developing social niceties which was why he was really clueless how to handle a relentless, stubborn human who did not know the meaning of rejection.

(He really had the stalking shadow coming. In hindsight, he should not gone out of his way to be like that old parable of good Samaritan. He could not deny the instinct though. He was once a good Angel of light after all.)

"Stop bothering me. Get a life."

"You are my life."

...That was nauseatingly cheesy. And disturbingly sincere.

He rounded at the human called Ryuuichi, (a name that literally meant the first son of Dragon, if it was named to anyone too less, he would have to hunt the name-giver in offense) to glower, glaring was far too beneath him.

"Do you even have the slightest comprehension of what you are doing?" He drew up, towering the other's taller height. "_You_ are a _man_."

One thick eyebrow perfectly arched in response. "So?"

"Find your partner. A _woman_," He pronounced with bold emphasis. "That's how your Creator made you as a pair."

The other had the gall to give him that violating .

"Are you offering to be one?" The human asked, ignoring the rest and only focused at the first line of his suggestion.

He spared a moment to gaze skyward, wondering if being determining hopeful was one of the reasons human survived the three apocalypse.

"You should be aware by now through those bard's tales that my kind loathes yours enough to turn our backs from glorious grace, ensue a rebellion, and play puppet masters so that we can drag souls to everlasting torment." His eyes pierced with thorough observation of the human's tainted soul. "Save yourself, Ryuuichi."

The human smiled all self-satisfied smugness. "You do care."

The aching feeling in him must be a kind of disease that plagued mankind to do crazy shit. He was clearly straining from it. "We are mortal enemies."

A knowing look was bestowed at him. It made his insides shiver. "You do not count yourself as one of them, Akihito."

He almost laughed at that. He was too way closer with the harbinger of chaos than what humans were lead to believe.

"Even so, that does not change the fact that I am one of them."

Apparently, the human did not mind at all. Still, steadfastly undeterred.

"I do not care damming myself to be with the devil as long as he could love me as much as he loves hell."

The declaration was too much for him.

He walked out.

* * *

_"I will have poetry in my life. And adventure. And love. Love above all. No... not the artful postures of love, not playful and poetical games of love for the amusement of an evening, but love that... overthrows life. Unbiddable, ungovernable - like a riot in the heart, and nothing to be done, come ruin or rapture,"_ He read out loud with amused incredulity.

_This human, Shakespeare, was a romantic fool,_ He decided, shaking his head. He discarded the tome, mind already plotting to annoy the hell out of his favourite human.

Not a slightest clue, that somewhere deep, really deep in the abyss of his consciousness, the tiniest seed was planted into its very depths.

* * *

He side-eyed the epitome of uncaring aloofness Ryuuichi was all but emitting. The golden-eyed man certainly did not bat an eye when resorting to drastic measures.

He winced, hearing the sharp cracking of bones. "Is it necessary?"

"Very."

Silence from him. The free-for all melee Ryuuichi thrown out like fleshly meat for his bloodhound-minions was overkill in his opinion.

Ryuuichi's hands reached for him, cradling his bruised cheeks gently like a precious stone. Or a weapon most likely. A huge contrast from the violence those pair of hands could wring out to the others.

"In time, you will learn why I could not stop when you told me so." He inwardly flinched. One hand left his cheeks as it rubbed soothing circles down his back. "I won't allow even you to impede my better judgement in laying out your protection, your majesty."

The vow was infinitely terrifying but strangely comforting at the same time.

His only response was a kiss to his knight.

* * *

_By the time you find this note. I'm gone. It is safer this way. You have done your best to keep me away from the other half of your life. That did not stop the others to conveniently use me as leverage against you. My existence as your most identifiable weakness had made thing difficult for you. I'm not strong enough. That is why I have to go._

He was too confine in his sorrow, blinded by his tears to sense someone reading over his left shoulder. Then he yelped, finding himself upside down, and thrown over like a weightless sack on the bed. Firm, possessive body caging him.

He gulped at the murderous rage of intent that was not intended for him.

And fear. Only a quicksilver flash of it what was sooner replaced by a savage, hard expression.

"Who said you could let go, Akihito?"

He was thoroughly fucking damned.

* * *

Pounding dread filled his heart as he did the best he could to staunch the lifeblood gushing out from Ryuuichi's chest that was embedded by a kunai that he pulled out before.

"Ryuuichi, stay with me. Kirishima will be here soon."

A smile to calm him down turned into a bloody grimace of pain. "S-Sorry."

His eyes widened. "You're sorry?!"

"By forcing you...to be..with me...my selfishness destroy your...life."

This admission made him furious. "Don't get arrogant. _No_ one could force me to do their bidding. This is my choice, to be by your side. And you can only compensate me by staying alive."

"Hazy, half-lidded eyed stared at him with magnified adoration. "...I do not really..deserve you... do I, Akihito?"

He choked a laugh. "I could not agree more." Biting his lips, he stifled back his welling tears. It would only hurt Ryuuichi to see his sorrow. Before he knew it, a pulling force sprawled him, striding Ryuuichi's lap.

"Ryuu─mmppphhhhh!"

Hi lips burned, devoured deeply by Ryuuichi who sucked the very air he breathe until they were breathing together as one. Firm arms holding him possessively proclaiming _mineminemineonlymine _which he returned with an equal torrid desperate kiss.

Above them, ominous clouds gathered.

* * *

In the stone monument, a series of characters engraved vertically in artistic kanji from the front read,

_Asami Ryuuichi_

There was a respectful hush in the sea of black.

Dressed in black kimono he paid his respects, drifting through the formality half-numbed.

It was the skies that wept for him.

He did not need to turn and see the measuring eyes drilling on his back.

Hell would freeze thrice over before he would allow everything that Ryuuichi work so hard to fall apart into the hands of greedy old prunes and ambitious upstarts. It was his duty, his responsibility as the sole benefactor of the assumed crippled Underworld kingdom.

The mantle was too heavy for him but he persevered, rising above them all.

The searing, heart-wrenching despair had awoken a dormant monster into a vengeful, warpath beast. His battered heart beyond irreparable. The all-consuming rage pushd him into lengths he would twice consider before. Retribution did nothing to ease down the lingering agony within him, it only settled down, simmering for a time.

He lost himself.

And could not for the life of him recognized this new person.

_Will you still love me as I become, Asami Ryuuichi?_

Silence was his only answer.

* * *

_Turnabout is fair, _He supposed as the pleasured cries grew louder from another round of coupling. The soft grunting sounds drove the venomous knife deeply into his torn heart. He took that as a harsh wake-up slap on the face.

For a moment, he stood there behind the closed door, battering down the rising anger of betrayal. Even if he had the right to be furious, it was his fault in the first place. His indiscretion was a huge mistake.

_He had hurt Asami._

If someone a year ago claimed to him that he, a measly crime photojournalist had the power to graze a scratch on the prime kingpin of Japan's Underworld, he would have been high with giddiness.

The end of this crushing ironic success however, left him with nothing but bittersweet victory.

He did not know whether to laugh hysterical or barge in unceremoniously like it was his own office to begin with. To confront them head-on with that righteous indignation a faithful lover had to his cheating philandering boyfriend.

Boyfriend. What an unlikely word to inline with Asami Ryuuichi, a man who was rumored to care little less for his playthings, a person who effortlessly reinvent cold indifference in taking his pleasures and never sparing a second thought of consequences for his used, discarded toys.

He knew better now. Those were masks the man developed, guarding the layers on his person to conceal the human underneath the labelled notoriety. And which he, Takaba Akihito without knowing, had painstakingly crumbled after a journey to hell and back (his rape, his meddling with Baishe, his abduction, his stalker, and the current one his betrayal with Sakazaki) had ultimately succeeded backstabbing Asami at the angle no one had ever expected.

_I did it for Asami,_ that was what he reasoned out to convince himself for doing what he had to do with Sakazaki. But underneath that seemingly self-justifiable cause was the fervent need to prove himself as he stood on precarious balance of where he stood in the place of Asami's heart.

Of course, Asami had found out about it. Though he never said anything or gave a slightest indication that he knew all along.

Maybe if had only admitted his mistake and asked forgiveness, it could lessen the pain of his betrayal. Yet he chose not to, fearing how Asami would react (recalling the cold eyes after confessing his sell-out of Asami on Feilong for the safety of his friends) to his pathetic sniveling desperation of making himself useful.

And so it went, his guilt burdened further by keeping it a secret and Asami's typical aloofness started to yawn a spreading gulf between them to the point that each of them made-up a plethora of excuses so they don't have to stay within each other's sight until they found themselves leading separate lives. Both of them waiting for the proverbial hammer to drop to make their split official.

It was understandably Asami who first threw the towel.

It was not like he could restrain Asami's fierce sexual intensity by himself. Asami was not exclusive to him alone. Moreover, he had no defined rights to forbid Asami from seeing another people.

He would take half of the responsibility that whatever he had with Asami had went the way it did, but he did not have to stay like a martyr for their start-to-finish fucked up relationship and took everything aside with a nothing-is wrong smile. With this decision, he stepped backward with heaviness in his heart straight into the penthouse.

Inside, numbed and somewhat absent-minded movements, he grabbed for his own stuff, things that were solely his and none of those possessions that Asami's money bought for him. Glassy eyes ran over the set of cameras inside the shelves. He picked the only one that started this whole game, placing it carefully inside his suitcase with the rest of his meager belongings.

Then, his eyes traveled at the full body-sized mirror, reflecting a young man who stood alone looking so out of place in the luxury with his weather-beaten jeans and crinkled shirt. Shoulders hunching, dried lips quivering and eyes glistening at the corners. A defeated person with a crushed heart by his own undoing. Investing a little bit too much against his better judgement, an investment he recklessly corrupted.

_It is my fault for playing a game where the winner takes it all as he preyed on all of my doubts and weaknesses._

His eyes drifted over the CCTV camera above him.

"I'm sorry." For all those three words worth, he meant it.

Sparing one last look around the penthouse, his home for less than a year. He pulled the suitcase and silently went on his way.

* * *

There was no going back.

It was over.

Time gave the impression of hovering in limbo.

It was the hardest thing to do. Trying to keep himself awake, conscious. The chill around the place was not helping, playing tug of war against his willpower. His body was stiff with frostbite, blotched with frozen red trails. Hard, numbed forefinger punch button for quick dial. He was grateful his tormentor left him a parting gift as he waited for the other to pick up his call. On second thought, he pushed the loudspeaker on.

*ring* *ring* ring* *ring* ring* *ri-*

The blaring, erotic music from the other end nearly made him deaf.

" 'ello."

There was no response before a door slammed closed, muting the loud background music. The silence told him that the yakuza was still chillingly furious.

He would grown white hairs if he did not start first. "...I-I...thin─k you 'ould kno..ow A-Asami..."

Silence described the other disinterest as if he was only obliging him.

He ignored it. "I-yah fi'ured it... o-out..."

"...What?"

" 'ur g-game. An' I'mma tired of i-it..."

"Are you drunk again, Takaba?"

Drunk?  
...Takaba?  
He blinked down at his shirt. It was wet. Sticky, too. He smelled bad like fish guts.

"...No. M-my...uh 'ead 'urts...though."

"You're drunk."

Something so matter-of factly and impersonal about the words made him barked a laugh before he was severely cut off by harsh, sticky, wet coughs. His lungs struggling for air as he convulsed from pain. He barely heard the urgent calls from his phone.

" ─swer me, Akihito! Where are you? What's going on?"

He tried to speak, what came out was a wheezed. Clearing his throat by coughing again he was unmindful of the spray of red.

" 'ould...know..y-you must..."

"Where are you, Akihito?!"

His eyes squinted. "Umma..no' s-sure. Iz w-white in 'ere..."

"Just hang in there. I'll find you." He smiled blankly from the soothing assurance of Asami's voice.

"...you d-do...al─ways...'ould."

What was it that he must say? He thought hard, his long silence alarmed Asami.

"Say something, Akihito."

"N-Need to 'ell somethin'..."

"What is it? Tell me."

The order pulled out the very important words from him. He could not find the strength though. He tried harder, pulling every last bit of what remained in him to force out what had to say. He coughed again, his eyes stinging as spasms rocked all over his body.

He rasped out, "...I-I 'ove...you." Paused, breath harder.

"...know...t-that..." Trailing off as his lungs faltered.

He shivered one last time with a soft gasp.

"Akihito! Akihito! Answer me, Akihito!"

**XXXV.**

Akihito wakes up with a hoarse gasp as if he has been screaming for the past hours. Gripping his quilt tighter, he finds it drenched with his own sweat. Disoriented, he brushes of his hair that was matted with sweat.

Slowly he sits up, wiping of the nearly dried tears on his cheeks and mindful of the receding tremors in his body. His heart he thinks, felt heavily crushed. Not only that he is too tired and weary like he came out from the end of a long journey, a journey that makes him changed into a─

_An old soul, _Akihito realizes with a sickening jolt as a rush of visions, no, memories from his alternate selves returns back to him, confirming what he had in a portion of intuition suspected all along.

A sheer troubling sense of grim fate descends on him. More certain by now that he is a major key player of a meddling cosmic being who loves to make his life more interesting by not allowing him to die properly as he should be. The scary thing was, it seems that only him and Ryuuichi are the pair left standing in this millennia-old game, few others teetering between pawns and trump cards and the rest left to be as collateral damage. And in far rude terms, cannon fodder.

How should he go from here on?

He cannot bear to simply let those memories be forgotten.

There might be missing links from those memories, but he has to be deaf, blind and an utter imbecilic fool not to see and understand the depth of mad obsessive love they had for one another that had alternately compelled them to save and damn each other.

Asami Ryuuichi fiercely loved him to destruction.

As much as he might wanted to, Akihito cannot choose to ignore that solid fact. The option of not doing anything has never crossed Akihito's mind even from the beginning of this earth-shattering revelation.


	3. 2nd Arc: The Universe Loves Its Ironies

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Dedicated to those who love BAMF Akihito-kun, who takes no shit from anyone.

Inspired by cywscross' Unfortunate Beginnings.

* * *

**Warnings:**

So massively alternate universe, soulmates' identifying marks on skin, jack-of-all trades-yet-master-of-none Seer Akihito with other magicks, Asamis are enamored with Akihito, ridiculous but not-so funny courtship customs, one-sided shipping Akihito with other Finder no Hyouteki's characters 'cuz Akihito's that awesome, not all sorry for all the insanity of this 2nd arc of the story

* * *

**Second Arc: ****The Universe Loves Its Ironies**

* * *

_"And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time." _— **_ Libba Bray,_****_ The Sweet Far Thing_**

* * *

Once upon a time, at a tender age of three years old, Asami Ryuuichi is regaled with the concept of soulmate, a person who is regarded as an offering of surety that everyone is guaranteed a chance of happiness someday. A soulmate is identified through the syntax markings on any part of the skin as if scrawled by the soulmate's own hand.

But as a member of the oligarchy, particularly the Ancient and Noble Clan of the Asami, the children of their bloodline are raised under the doctrine of pragmatic realism. Being bonded to a soulmate does not necessarily entail that he or she would acceptingly embrace and stick around the blood and violence with any Asami who made a living in the Underworld until the end.

To be accepted of who you are no matter what you become from past to future is a romanticized sentiment that is too good to be true. There is no long-term safeguard with someone tied to the Underworld after all. More importantly, losing the other half that is already Bonded is bound to all consuming self-destruction. Love and be damned versus unloved and be incomplete has shaped this belief. And self-preservation as a rule in a cunning game of yakuza and mafia outweighs liable vulnerability.

It is a sound logic all told.

But like other statutes found inside any lawbooks, if there is no one can ever resist doing, it is none other than breaking the rules and oftentimes to circumnavigate way past them. For this, all Asamis are warned to study and understand these traps before they decided to fall into it.

In Asami Ryuuichi's case, the moment he can read and understand the syntax of sentence trailing down his back just printed above the skin of his spinal cord, the syntax clinches the decision for him.

He is to be scornfully rejected.

_'Newsflash! It's not like I want you back in this life either, you shitty asshole.'_

Ryuuichi is not a dreamer fooling himself with self-delusions like those romantics that idealizes the notion of love to absolute perfection. Still, the letdown is heart-crushing.

Albeit the tempestuous urge to prove/convinced/cajoled/coerce his supposed soulmate wrong, the syntax he decided, has no complete say in his life. From this point on, Ryuuichi's heart has been closed off and hardened like the blackest of diamond and locked away into the deepest abyss and remains unfounded.

So Ryuuichi pushes onwards and lives for himself to become the epicentre of adoration and hatred as the heir of the Asami Empire.

By the time Ryuuichi will chance an encounter with his soulmate, that person will learn what a catch he has thrown away. That will teach the soulmate to beg for his full attention.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

There is a slight change to my muse's plotting that matches this Seer Akihito, Sage. I can't help but tweak.

Anyways, I must apologize that any updates will have to be put on hold for this year-unless my muse thinks the otherwise-as I must concentrate on my education in order to graduate.

Thanks for your consideration.


	4. Curveball Strike

**Disclaimer:**

All cannon plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Finder Series belong to their respective owners. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

**Warnings:**

So massively alternate universe,soulmates' identifying marks on skin, jack-of-all trades-yet-master-of-none Seer Akihito with other magicks, Asamis are enamored with Akihito, ridiculous but not-so funny courtship customs, one-sided shipping Akihito with other Finder no Hyouteki's characters 'cuz Akihito's that awesome, not all sorry for all the insanity of this story

* * *

**Curveball Strike**

* * *

**[Sixteen years later: Club Dracaena]**

"You're not enough." Is the short dismissal from Ryuuichi like a knee-jerk response after being subjected by the owner of those hazel eyes which has been keeping a close watch on him for hours on end.

(Distantly, Ryuuichi eyes Kirishima's horrified face. For an exasperated voyeur whenever he's an exhibitionist on whim, his right-hand should not have that kind of stunned surprise like this is very new view to him.)

Resigned as he is to be an incredible eye candy, Ryuuichi has defined those who obtrusively salivated on his person in the scale of creepy lecherous fangirls/fanboys to murderous if-looks-could-kill maniac intent. This one feels like a hungry gaze but it is not borderline disturbing. Nonetheless, a brief flick to look-out unimpressed Ryuuichi. Really, the seducer should at least dress their very best to present a lovely, head-turning view. The blond looks more like a roadkill drunkard who happens to trip his way past the security detail of their clan's elite club. His father will not be very pleased at this. Smirking wickedly at the thought of the punishment that his father will mete out on the unlucky guards, Ryuuichi is pulled out of his imaginings by a wheedling voice.

_Miyabi's lap dance is way more fun to indulge myself than deigning a mortifying embarrassment to the pervert,_ Ryuuchi decides and disinclines to ruin the night of his coming of age ceremony and twentieth birthday.

To Akihito, Asami's golden eyes barely spare him a passing glance to smirk down instead at the scantily dressed bimbo grinding up and down on his lap for all she's worth. In the same table with the couple are two manly babysitters: Kirishima looks downright horrified in disapproval while Suoh is faintly mystified by Kirishima's over-reaction. On another time or world, Akihito would have burst into laughter at their faces, but hell, he had been waiting **over **a couple of millennium and several hundreds of years for Asami Ryuuichi to be born before Akihito's hopes went up in flames when said soulmate's first syntax had appeared onto his skin on the day of Asami's birthday twenty years ago and the marks remained to this day a clear-cut evidence that Akihito's not good enough or just simply unwanted as a soulmate.

And no matter how Akihito has braced himself for the dreaded first official encounter, the newly graduated Asami Ryuuichi's-who celebrated his coming of age twentieth birthday by clubbing as being an exploratory sexual deviant- words has never failed to hurt like a bitch. Worse, the timing throws Akihito a real kick to the teeth as multiple visions drown his mindscape in cruel relish.

_"I had my fun. It's over now."_

_"What? Did you truly believe you're more than an occasional pseudo-lover?"_

_"Those sweet nothings I said before are telling enough of nothing more."_

_"Next time, learn to separate feelings from fucking."_

In a split fraction of a second that is quite normal for Akihito compared to anyone else that is human without otherworldly gifts, Akihito did a quick rundown of multiple realizations.

Fact 1: Fate utterly loathes any Seers. She considers powers of any Sight cheating. It did not help Akihito is one of Mother Magic's Chosen.

Fact 2: Fate is always a vicious bitch. Akihito would not put it past Her to strike him down with pre-determined, crushing blows.

Fact 3: No one has ever accused Asami Ryuuichi of not having the capability to do most damage by sheer callous condescension alone.

In truth, few of Akihito's counterparts themselves had enough practice receiving the wrong end of Asami's cruelty after inciting it.

Fact 4: It is really, really ironic and beyond hilarity that Akihito is technically an ancient going by the human's standards of age gap.

Fact 5: The Asami Ryuuichi of this world is not the same of those other Asami-counterparts, who bled and died for their beloved Akihitos. This one in front of him is a child, a fickle young man. And children can be thoughtlessly cruel until someone beat some lessons of tact on them.

Fact 6: Akihito should give the Asami an excuse. Just this one. After all, in overall outward physical aesthetic he appears very off-putting like a raccoon death swarmed over. Dark baggy eyes for losing peaceful sleep and as he could care less to be presentable, he is all tacky looking. In all honesty, Akihito is not looking his best effort in the fashion department.

After binding himself in service with several Asami descendants after Madara, none has still passed his criteria which incidentally gave him the freedom to go out of his gilded golden cage. The years as a Seer of Phoenix descent did not do positive wonders to Akihito. After many assassination attempts, wading through people's expectations, and surviving to live for himself, he's more edgier and darker. Jadedly world-weary, so to speak. Immortality has led him to a life of crapload situation being a Seer who attracts hungry sharks to fresh blood. Powerful individuals seek him out either to condemn or to tuck him away for safe keeping. Of present time—

Akihito blinks back to current reality. He must have stood like an idiot (only in his point of view). Right.

Conclusion: Like before Akihito had seen those words carved over the back of his shoulder blade, he will suck up this sharp sting. But he will not have this Asami to walk all over him. He must put his foot down in becoming some poor damsel in distress who can't handle shit so well like some of his parallel counterparts did. He is having none of that spineless sheeple. He is so better than that. So—

"Newsflash! It's not like I want you back in this life either, you shitty asshole," Akihito tosses back with all high-born frigidity of bone-chilling rejection. Those past lessons of acting high and mighty did pay off if the silence cloaking the high-end club is anything to judge by.

(Akihito notes how his words cause Kirishima's whole countenance to look at him in utter abject horror. Diarrhea maybe? It is not like his choice of words can personally smite the man.

…Then again this is Kirishima Kei, who takes any slight against Asami Ryuuichi as his own personal battle to contend.

A hardcore fanboy that one.)

Ryuuichi freezes. Hurt and scathing disappointment curls the coldness of the words. He should know so well after being surrounded by the alta society's crème de la crème pompous snobs who used to master masks as a front like no one.

(Also, Ryuuichi can hear his mother's appalled voice after she learns this predetermined meeting with his soulmate: _For the love of Morgana! I can't believe you said those unforgiveable words to your soulmate no less. I taught you better than that, Ryuu-chan!_

And his father's amused but stern advice: _We always knew your soulmate's a firebrand. And you better grovel, son. Or else you would be spending more time in silent treatment if you don't think before you speak.)_

_'You're not enough.' _These four words are a deathblow of the highest order onto the self-esteem of which Ryuuchi did deliberately just told his soulmate that he did not lived up to his expectations. That he's not worth to amount much and not even good enough to be a soulmate. After the years being reminded day-by-day by the identifying syntax which marks you for life as of nothing of value, it stands to reason why his soulmate looks like death swarmed over. Depression like that could edge any person to—

"And you're very much welcome, Asami Ryuuichi to screw yourself with someone who can fangirl you to death." And with that last bit tack on, Akihito storms away. Any eyes which meet his have instantly skittered away with veiled to obvious healthy fear-that is kind of weird but satisfying.

The distinctive feeling of wrongness after the blond walks out is punctuated more by someone's gleeful applause.

"Wow," Liu Yantsuui drawls, sauntering into full view with his two female entertainers. Beside the Baishe Heir, the younger brother and spare heir, Feilong glares daggers at Asami. "Keep that over-lording performance up, Ryuuichi-kun. It is rather inspiring to your foolish colleagues.

Ryuuichi's expression is completely blank and non-reaction mars a small frown on the elder of the two Lius. Clearly, he is deliberately ignoring them in favor of following Akihito's departing back with his eyes as he comes to comprehend that he truly warranted the flat-out bitch-slap at his face to blow up from his soulmate's welling indignant fury. It makes him feel like the lowest of scum.

Across the table, Kei knows the Asami Heir enough to comprehend his understated unease. He cannot blame the boss as Kei is appropriately terrified out of his wits as well. The boss did foolishly walked over on Akihito. Kei might as well wave farewell to his own life.

"Kirishima."

Asami's clipped call takes Kei out of his dawning misery or rather holds it back for now.

"I expect a full dossier about that blond within an hour."

The short due time of order did not fazed Kei but he's equally surprised.

"Asami-sama," he began with a slightest dig of reprimand. "You just slighted your father's top consultant. And please forgive me for being incapable of retrieving Akihito's rap sheets as your father is as zealous as a true dragon in guarding anything about Akihito." At the end, Kei lowers his eyes subserviently, lifting his eyes he stares at the 'oh fuck' face the Asami Heir has visibly displayed. Kei would have laugh if he found any humor on this situation. The last time that face occurred, was when Asami Ryuuichi on his early teenage years popping his cherry with his personal maid on his grandparents' bedroom and was caught red-handed by his scandalized mother.

Liu Yantsuui has no such compunction to laugh out loud at Asami's face though, and when he subsided, he reveals: "Apparently, the great Asami Heir has no idea his father dearest is extremely protective and greedy of his favorite doll."

The subtle and unsubtle bombshells drop by as generously hurl out by Kirishima and the Liu Heir infer volumes of innuendos that are not lost to Ryuuichi, but must be taken as face-value before the impression he gets can fuck-up his close to non-existent chance to smithereens if he let them cloud his judgement concerning his soulmate.

Outwardly, Ryuuichi's golden eyes intensify to arctic levels, earning a soft squeak of fear from the woman who promptly waddles out of his lap gracelessly after being pin down by his eyes and the woman finally figures out that her presence is now unwanted.

The female entertainer is ignored and the Baishe Heir's crooked smile widens conspiratorially. "Your jetsetter days are fining you to catch up on your father's personal affairs, my friend."

Gossip has ruined a lot of lives and the Underworld dabblers are not immune to its peril. Ryuuichi raises an eyebrow, giving that information a benefit of doubt. "Care to enlighten me then."

"It all comes back to your family's most fabled treasure…"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

There is a slight change to my muse's plotting that matches this Seer Akihito, Sage. I can't help but tweak.

Anyways, I must apologize that any updates will have to be put on hold for this year-unless my muse thinks the otherwise-as I must concentrate on my education in order to graduate. Thanks for your consideration.

PS: Edited. Sorry for the confusion *rubs my back head sheepishly*.


End file.
